Home vs Office Coffee Machines: What Makes a Coffee Machine Better Suited?
We’ve heard some coffee machines are designed for offices, while others are designed for home use. But what is so fundamentally different about these machines that makes them ok to use in each of these various spaces?
The sizing (or capacity) of the coffee machine is the first determining factor.
- Water tanks should be able to handle the amount of usage the machine is expected to use daily. Capsule machines have less than a litre size3d tank on average, which is what makes them suitable for home use. Commercial bean to cup machines have from 2litre sized tanks, all the way through to 6 litre tanks – or can even be plumbed-in to your existing water supply. That’s what makes these types of machines better suited to offices, where daily consumption is high.
- Coffee component. Capsule machines require brand specific capsules, which can cost up to R 9.00 per capsule. For an office of over even 10 people, your monthly costs will undoubtedly sky rocket – so steer clear of that. Inversely, the capsule solution will fit a home user’s consumption perfectly – and it is far easier to keep “fresh” in comparison to a 250g bag of beans, which might be spoiled by the time the home user nears the end of the bag. Coffee beans are a very cheap coffee component, and will be used in high volumes in an office environment – the same can be said about pre-ground or filter coffee. This is why bean to cup machines and filter coffee machines will suit an office environment far better.
The brand of the machine is also a component that helps influence whether your machine is better suited to home or office.
- For example, the Aeropress or Dolce Gusto might be taxing on the pocket when used in an office. The machines are only capable of producing one cup per preparation, and will unnecessarily delay and frustrate users – especially first time users.
- Jura, for instance, is a quality brand that carries a relevant price tag. Unless you’re using the entry-level machines from this brand (i.e. – Jura F50, Jura A1, etc.) – you’re going to be wasting some of the most important features of the machine- as well as their output capabilities s- by limiting it to home use.
Automatic vs Manual
- The skill level required to operate a manual coffee machine is not rocket science (in most cases)- but does require some extra input and attention to detail for preparation. When you have 30 staff members running around frantically, trying to get a cup of coffee before the 8am meeting, a manual machine will simply cause frustration and possibly even be damaged by those who are unsure of how to use it.
- In a home environment, a small manual coffee machine might be just the right tool for those who love to be hand-on in their coffee preparation, or a budding Barista who might love the technicality associated with using a manual coffee machine.
While some machines serve the dual purpose of being able to handle an office AND home environment, not all do. If you need a machine for your home, think small, easy to use and affordable.
For an office coffee machine, look at size, capacity, speed of use and output.
If you need any advice on selecting the right coffee machine, fill out the form below and we’ll help you find the right fit 🙂